Toshiba Corporation (TYO:6502), the Japanese conglomerate involved with information technology and communications equipment and systems, has recently signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tanzania Geothermal Development Company Limited (TGDC) for the development of the country’s geothermal power generation business.

Established in 2013 and awarded with geothermal resources’ exploitation and promotion rights by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), TGDC plans to add to the country’s current capacity installed of 1,490 MW, a total of 100 MW by 2020, 500 MW by 2022 and 800 MW by 2025.

According to the MoU, Toshiba will be in charge of the development and provision of major equipment for geothermal power generation, creation of guidelines for plant operation and management as training of personnel as well.

The MoU signed between both institutions lies under the Scaling up Renewable Energy Program (SREP) and Tanzania Development Vision 2025, which aim at reaching 10,000 MW of diversified power generation capacity to support Tanzania’s shift to a middle-income country with a prosperous and globally competitive economy by 2025.

According to TGDC, Tanzania has a geothermal electricity generation potential up to 5,000 MW thanks to its strategic position between the eastern and western arms of the East African Rift Valley, which has given Tanzania the third largest geothermal resources in Africa following Kenya and Ethiopia with approximately 10,000 MW.

Tanzania expects to raise its potential for energy generation based on Toshiba’s expertise to develop geothermal power stations which since 1966 have reached a total of 52 around the world with a total generation capacity of 3,400 MW accounting for 26% of the total geothermal power generated in the world.